Freezer shelf construction



latontod June 21, 1949 um'rso s'rArss PATENT o FFlCE ranszsa snzro z ns'muo'non Douglas Collins, Salisbury. N. C. Application August 10, 1945, Serial No. 610,061-

1 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerators of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 586,899, filed April 6, 1945, wherein shelf frames are movable vertically through the open top of a top door refrigerator cabinet.

The primary object of the invention is to so construct the shelves of the movable shelf frame located in the freezing compartment of the refrigerator that they constitute a conduit for the passage of the fluid refrigerating medium and thereby provide physical contact with the articles supported upon the shelves and thus expedite and accelerate the initial freezing of such articles.

A further object is the provision of means enabling the relative position of the shelves within the frame to be varied as desired depending upon the nature, size and shape of the food or other'irticles to be stored and frozen.

In the accompanying drawings wherein an improved embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shelf frame removed from the refrigerator cabinet.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing the shelf locking means.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numerals 2i designate the comer posts of the shelf frame which is mounted for vertical movement between guide rollers 2' in the freezing compartmerit of the refrigerator cabinet and is moved to a raised position above the open top of the cabinet .by pull exerted upon motor driven cables attached to the frame and extending over pulleys 23.

The parts of the refrigerator thus far described are constructed and arranged substantially the same as the corresponding parts disclosed in my earlier application above referred to, and such parts are designated by the same reference characters.

In accordance with the present invention the shelves forming part of the shelf frame constitute the cooling elements of the closed refrigerating system which may be of the well-known type including the usual motor driven compressor and condenser (not shown). Each shelf is formed from a length of pipe or tube bent as clearly shown to form a plurality of spaced parallel tubular members 22a extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shelf frame and connected in series at the opposite sides of the frame thereby forming a flat circuitous conduit for the passage of the refrigerant. The. short Continuity of flow of the refrigerant from the conduit of one shelf to the next adjacent shelf is made possible by connecting pipes 16a formed of flexible material of such length as to accommodate relative adjustment of the shelves as will be hereinafter more fully described. The flexible pipes 18a are connected with the shelf conduits by couplings 16b. The rigid inlet pipe 15 for the refrigerant is extended vertically at the back of the shelf frame and is connected by an elbow I! and a flexible pipe section 16 with the free end of the conduit of the lowermost shelf. The free end of the conduit of the uppermost shelf is downwardly directed as indicated at no and is connected by a flexible pipe section TI with the upper end of the vertically disposed portion of the outlet pipe 18 for the refrigerant.

The lower portions of the pipe sections It and 11 are looped and the flexibility, thereof permits freedom of vertical movement of the shelf frame within the compartment in which it is located.

For convenience in changing position of the top shelf with relation to the other shelves, the top shelf is shown as-mounted for adjustment vertically of the comer posts. It will be understood, however, that if desired other shelves may also be adjustably mounted.

In order to effectively lock the shelf in an adjusted position, the opposite sides of the re-* lated rim member 22 are provided with apertured lugs 83 receiving shafts 80 having depending portions ll terminating in outwardly directed ends I! selectively engageable in apertures Ila arranged in vertical rows along the inner portions of the corner posts 2|. Springs 84 coiled about the shafts 80 are engaged at one end with the rim member 22 and at the other end with the shafts and the tension thereof tends to turn the shafts in the direction to engage and retain the angular ends 82 in the apertures Zla. For facilitating the release and readjustment of the shelf, the medial portion of the shafts are in the form of depending cranks "a which can be con-- veniently grasped in the hand to enable the 3 shafts to be turned, thereby disengaging the angular ends from the apertures 2la. when the shelf has been shifted to the desired position, the hand cranks are released and the shafts are turned under the influence of the springs 84.

As will be understood, the shelf frame is intended for accommodation within the freezing compartment of the refrigerator cabinet. In addition, the direct physical contact of the food or other articles or containers for such articles with the cooling conduits 22a, through which the refrigerant is conducted, expedites and accelerates freezing and thus improves the efliciency of the refrigerator while also affording the advantages of an article supporting frame which may be adjusted vertically for convenience of access. According to the invention the tendency for air to circulate within the cabinet is greatly reduced due to the fact that the cooling conduits are dispersed throughout the interior of the cabinet. Naturally, this lessens the dehydratin effect on unwrapped articles in the cabinet.

What I claim is:

1. In a refrigerating device a vertically movable frame, a conduit for the passage of a fluid refrigerant, said conduit being carried by and movable with the frame and constituting a shelf for supporting and maintaining intimate thermal contact with the articles to be frozen, and means for guiding the vertical movement of said frame.

2. In a refrigerating device, a vertically movable frame, a conduit carried by and movable with the frame for the passage of a fluid refrigerant, said conduit constituting a shelf for supporting and maintaining intimate thermal contact with articles to be frozen, stationary inlet and outlet pipes for refrigerant, and flexible connections between the stationary pipes and the conduit accommodating movement of the frame.

3. In a refrigerating device, a movable frame, a conduit for the passage of a fluid refrigerant and constituting a shelf for supporting and maintaining intimate thermal contact with articles to be frozen, means adiustably supporting said conduit in the frame for movement therewith.

4. A refrigerating device as claimed in claim 1 provided with means for adjustably securing the conduit in selected positions in said frame.

5. A refrigerating device as claimed in claim 1 provided with means for adjustably securing the conduit in selected positions in said frame, said adjustable securing means including releasable spring actuated lock shafts carried by the conduit and engageable with the frame.

6. A refrigerating device as claimed in claim 1 provided with means for adjustably securing the conduit in selected positions in said frame, said adjustable securing means including releasable spring actuated lock shafts carried by the conduit and provided with locking projections engageable with the frame, and crank portions on said shafts for facilitating rotation thereof.

7. In a refrigerating device a vertically movable frame, a plurality of conduits carried by and movable with the frame and each constituting a shelf for supporting and maintaining intimate thermal contact with the articles to be frozen, pipes-connecting said conduits, said conduits and pipes forming passages for the circulation of a fluid refrigerant, and means for guiding the vertical movement of the frame.

DOUGLAS COLLINS.

. file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

